


Distillation

by deepspaceprincess



Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Alcohol, Star Trek Secret Santa, drinking buddies, illegal modification of a Starfleet ship, responsible alcohol use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-17 20:09:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,273
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13084461
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/deepspaceprincess/pseuds/deepspaceprincess
Summary: McCoy and Scotty bond over illegal alcohol production.





	Distillation

**Author's Note:**

  * For [shinealightonme](https://archiveofourown.org/users/shinealightonme/gifts).



> My Star Trek Secret Santa gift to toast-the-unknowing!  
> I hope you enjoy!
> 
> Happy Holidays!

When McCoy received a cryptic message from Scotty about ten minutes before the end of his shift it put the doctor on high alert. It wasn't likely the other man was injured, else he'd just waltz on down to medical like he had every other time something in Engineering decided to explode. The fact that Scotty wasn't hurt and still contacting McCoy was what raised his suspicions. They were friends, sure, but it wasn't often that Scotty sent him a message saying “Engineering after your shift, don't look shady”, so there was that. 

He took his time finishing up any leftover paperwork that needed to be done like any other day and didn't leave the medical bay until an hour after the scheduled end of his shift. McCoy mentally prepared himself on his way down to the bowels of the ship, wondering what the hell Scotty thought he could help him with down there. The most McCoy knew about ships was that they flew and people claimed there was science involved. 

When he stopped on the lower decks Scotty was no where to be found. A younger looking engineer saw that McCoy was obviously out of place and after a bit of back and forth, the increasingly shifty eyed ensign finally led him toward the back of the large room. There, nestled in the back of the Enterprise's most important components, was Scotty, hunched over what looked like an eighth grade science fair experiment gone wrong.

“Ay, there you are,” Scotty greeted, leaving the contraption to slap McCoy on the shoulder, “I thought your shift ended an hour ago?”  
“It did,” McCoy returned, squinting at the plethora of metal tubing, “What in God's good name is that?”  
Scotty beamed and ushered McCoy closer, though he was hesitant to lessen the distance between himself and, was that a boiler of some sort?  
“Glad you asked m'friend, this here is the answer to all of our synthenol problems!” Scotty announced proudly. 

It took McCoy a couple more seconds of thinking, but after another careful study of the mess Scotty had presented him, it became clear as to what it was.  
“You made a distillery, in the engine bay of Starfleet's flag ship?”  
“Ay, and it only took me three days after I finished the blueprints. The parts were easy enough to find, though sneaking the ingredients for the liquor down here will be a might tricky. I figure if I can get a good batch out before the Captain finds her we might have a chance of keeping her.”

McCoy started backing away, shaking his head as he went.

“Oh no, you're not dragging me into this charade Scotty. Jim will be the least of your worries if this gets out. Spock will drag your ass through so many regulations there won't be enough left of ya to throw out the airlock.”

“Don't be such a stick in the mud Leonard! Look, all I need is three days without Jim sniffing around here and you'll have a nice bottle of authentic Enterprise hooch all to yourself for the trouble. It's not like I blame to sell it, I just cannae stand the taste of synthenol anymore and I know you feel the same,” Scotty went on. 

The two stood there in a silent stand-off. McCoy held on to his conviction as long as he could, which was about forty seconds when the prospect of real alcohol was in the picture. 

“My name doesn't go on any of this, ya hear? I'll keep Jim off a ya, but that's it,” he offered.  
“Deal!” Scotty replied with a smirk, “You keep the good captain off my arse and I'll hand deliver the first bottle to you meself.” 

McCoy rolled his eyes and turned to leave, not giving Scotty or his distillery a second glance.  
~

In the end, keeping Jim out of engineering turned out to be easy. McCoy just started hinting that it was time for his annual check-up, which meant the young captain steered clear of any of his usual hangouts where the doctor knew to look for him. When day three rolled around and McCoy got the all clear from Scotty, he went and found where Jim had been hiding in the botanical gardens and dragged him in for his physical anyway. Jim noted that he seemed a bit more cheerful than usual, but McCoy was mum as to the reason why. 

McCoy's shift ended a few hours later and for the first time in his three years as CMO, he left on time, using an admittedly lame excuse with Nurse Chapel as he went. He went straight to his quarters as per yet another cryptic message from Scotty and found the older man having already set up shop in his living space. 

“When you said “hand deliver” I didn't think it meant breaking and entering,” he quipped, rolling his eyes when Scotty just shrugged at him.  
“Figured we could enjoy the fruits of our labor together my friend.”

He wanted to argue that he had nothing to do with the illegal distillery, but the medical bay had been busy that day and a bottle of the real deal was sitting on his coffee table like an everyday occurrence. McCoy sat down, defeated, and chose not to examine the look of smug satisfaction on Scotty's face too closely. 

“Now, through a bit of engineering genius I was able to imitate the aging process for this beauty, but don't be fooled, the only artificial about this hooch is her age,” Scotty explained as he poured them each three fingers. 

They picked up their glasses and shared a silent toast before each taking a sip. The taste was amazing. It was smooth in that way that synthenol could never be and to McCoy's pleasant surprise it wasn't too strong. He had tried moonshine before, made by one of his aunt's back in Georgia and it about took the hair off his chest. Scotty's hooch was good, rich and bitter; it warmed him to the core as it went down. The two of them both looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

“Worth the risk, ay?” Scotty asked, taking another sip.  
“I'll say. I haven't had anything this good in five shore leaves.”  
“Reminds me of home, it does.” 

It was a few silent moments as they continued to drink their share of the bounty. McCoy found that Scotty was a drinking buddy like Jim could never be. He was content to sit and enjoy good liquor in silence, which McCoy appreciated. They worked through their glasses, eventually exchanging conversation, but silently agreed not to drink anymore that night. McCoy hid the bottle where he was pretty sure Jim wouldn't stumble upon it and decided that a partnership with Scotty wasn't so bad. The illegal distillery would stay and McCoy was more than happy to help Scotty keep the secret. 

They managed to do so for three blissful months. Spock lectured Scotty for three solid hours and was convinced that was punishment enough thanks to Jim. After that it was promptly dismantled, but Scotty would still stop by McCoy's for a glass now and again from what ended up being the only surviving bottle. It lasted them a good long while and once it was gone the two had developed a solid friendship. When the next shore leave came around McCoy was more than happy to accompany the other man out for a drink and some good conversation. 

This slowly turned into a tradition that would last them through the five year mission and well beyond into retirement.

**Author's Note:**

> Come visit me on Tumblr @deepspaceprincess
> 
> Also please drink responsibly this holiday season and be safe!!


End file.
